Case Number 22433

THE PEE-WEE HERMAN SHOW ON BROADWAY (BLU-RAY)

The Charge

"And now, on behalf of myself and our strict 'no refund' policy, we are
pleased to present for your viewing pleasure, the 'Pee-wee Herman
Show'!"

Opening Statement

There are few performers more deserving of a second chance than Paul Reubens.
The improv comedian turned kids' show host became a household name in the 1980s,
first on the big screen with the Tim Burton-directed Pee-wee's Big
Adventure, then on television with Pee-wee's Playhouse. The bizarre
Saturday morning TV show became a hit with kids and adults alike, lasting five
seasons and earning 15 Emmys. Sadly, Reubens' career as kids' entertainer came
to an abrupt end in 1991, due to an unfortunate incident I won't give virtual
ink to here. Through the rest of the '90s and much of the 2000s, Reubens limited
his acting work to small roles in movies like Batman Returns and
Mystery Men.

In the mid-2000s, Reubens let slip that he was working on several new
Pee-wee Herman screenplays. Then, in 2009, he announced a revival of his
original '80s stage show. The Pee-wee Herman Show returned for limited,
sell-out engagements in LA and New York, followed by an HBO special recorded
after his Broadway run. As 2011 comes to an end, we may not be any closer to a
new movie, but thanks to HBO and Image Entertainment fans can get their Pee-wee
fix with the release of The Pee-wee Herman Show on Broadway
(Blu-ray).

Facts of the Case

Essentially an updated version of his live act from the early '80s, this new
Pee-wee Herman Show is a mix of sight gags, sketches, and a loose plot
involving Cowboy Curtis and Miss Yvonne falling in love, the Playhouse getting
wired for a new computer, and Pee-wee wishing he could fly.

The Evidence

The Pee-wee Herman Show on Broadway is a brisk 89-minute love letter
to fans, reuniting Pee-wee with the characters and puppets from his stage and TV
show. After an opening song and Herman-led Pledge of Allegiance, the curtain
parts to reveal an exact replica of the Playhouse. I haven't seen Pee-wee's
Playhouse since I was a kid, but when the lights went up on that set, I
couldn't help but grin. If I was the kind of person who cheers at my TV, I would
have joined the audience in raucous applause.

That infectious joy is the reason Ruebens' TV show became a hit. Like pure
id with a red bowtie, Pee-wee Herman's childlike enthusiasm for the world makes
everything, from a scrap of foil to a postcard from a pen pal, fun.
AAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!! Yes, The Pee-wee Herman Show even has a "secret
word" of the day: "Fun."

Also back are Pee-wee's puppet pals -- including Chairy the chair, Conky the
robot, Globey the globe, Clocky the clock, Pteri the Perodactyl, and Magic
Screen the magic, um, screen -- and fan favorites Cowboy Curtis, Miss Yvonne,
Jambi the genie, and the King of Cartoons. Curtis and Miss Yvonne's budding
relationship provides one of the major subplots (the original stage show paired
Miss Yvonne with Phil Hartman's Captain Carl). Even though Laurence Fishburne
has been replaced as Curtis by the younger and no doubt more available, Phil
LaMarr, it's great to see Lynne Marie Stewart reprise her role as the
"prettiest woman in Puppetland." Makeup and a beehive wig can only go
so far to hide the passage of time, but I'm glad Reubens didn't try to replace
such a key character. This revival also introduces a couple of new characters:
Drew Powell as "The Bear," and Jesse Garcia as Sergio the sexy Latin
electrician. Both are welcome additions, and provide some of the funnier
non-Pee-wee moments of the show.

The Pee-wee Herman Show on Broadway is a madcap,
stream-of-consciousness fever dream of awesomeness. The jokes come fast and
furious, ranging from puns and cheap gags to extended bits. One of the best
involves Pee-wee, a deep fat fryer, and a fake skeleton hand. Reubens gets a lot
of mileage from trotting out his old catchphrases, with declarations of "I
know you are, but what am I?" and "That's so funny I forgot to
laugh" sending the audience into a frenzy. It's a testament to the
character's endless charm that even the cheesiest moments are met with affection
instead of eye rolling.

The show is more than just a nostalgia trip, though. Ruebens and his
co-writers have updated the Pee-wee formula for a modern audience. One of the
show's main storylines involves handyman Sergio helping Pee-wee install his new
computer, worrying the playhouse puppets that the upgrade might make them
obsolete. To Reubens' credit, he makes sure that the current references aren't
too current. Another running gag involves characters shilling for crappy
infomercial products, culminating in an anthropomorphized puppet ShamWow! that
meets an untimely end. Pee-wee toying with change is played for laughs, but the
lesson is clear: some things are perfect just the way they are.

The original Pee-wee Herman stage show included some adult humor that didn't
make the transition to Saturday morning TV. The new special doesn't go quite as
far as the old show, but it does include some suggestive material, carefully
worded to go over young viewers' heads. Kids wouldn't know why Pee-wee asks a
shorts-wearing Mailman Mike if he has "a license to sell hot dogs,"
what his abstinence ring signifies, or the way Conky and Magic Screen bump into
each other during a blackout might be anything but innocent. The Blu-ray
slipcase advertises the show as "for kids of all ages," and I have to
agree. Just be prepared to answer, or dodge, some awkward questions.

Although the show breezes through from beginning to end, it's an amazing
juggling act of puppets, performers, props, and sound cues. The filmed
performance has the benefit of second takes and reshoots, but the edits only
polish an already sparkling gem. Under the direction of Marty Callner, the HBO
special adds dynamic camerawork and close-ups to focus attention and punch up
the jokes. The combination of stagecraft and TV wizardry makes The Pee-wee
Herman Show on Broadway the definitive version of Paul Reubens' triumphant
return, and Blu-ray is the definitive way to watch it.

The 1.78:1/1080i AVC-encoded image is packed with detail, from the glittery
jewels of Jambi's turban to the fine weave of Pee-wee's signature grey suit. The
hi-def presentation is saturated with color, and bright. At times, the image is
too bright, with whites that threaten to blow out under the harsh stage lights.
The quick camera movements and interlaced picture also result in some motion
blur. Still, unless you were at one of these performances or somehow toured the
TV set as a kid, you've never seen the Playhouse look better. Instead of
surround sound, The Pee-wee Herman Show on Broadway (Blu-ray) audio is in
uncompressed PCM stereo -- but don't worry. It's a powerhouse mix, creating an
open soundscape that feels like it was recorded live, while making sure
everything from dialogue to musical numbers to the thousand live sound
cues come through with clarity and kick.

The disc's lone bonus feature is a cast commentary with Reubens, Lynne Marie
Stewart, Drew Powell, John Moody (who plays Mailman Mike), John Paragon (Jambi,
and the voice of Pteri), Josh Meyers (Fireman Phineas, and several puppet
voices), Phil LaMarr, Lexy Fridell (the voice of Chairy and Magic Screen), and
Lance Roberts (The King of Cartoons, as well as the voice of Globey and one of
the flowers). After a quick, standard def intro video for each of the players,
the group rockets through the feature with a commentary that's every bit as
energetic as the show itself. Reubens is funny, sweet, and genuine in his
appreciation for this opportunity. He leads the roundtable discussion, which is
full of behind-the-scenes information, comparisons between the old and new stage
shows, and general camaraderie -- extending beyond the end of the special for
three bonus minutes of chat.

Closing Statement

Even if none of his new Pee-wee film projects come together, Paul Reubens has
officially won. He has outlasted the scandal that forced him to retreat from the
spotlight, and the critics who left his career for dead. The Pee-wee Herman
Show doesn't reinvent Reubens' alter ego for a new millenium; it reminds all
of us who loved him in the '80s that Pee-wee Herman is timeless. By tapping into
the limitless possibilities of imagination, and the joy of looking at the world
through the eyes of a child, Reubens' shows that his real genius is the ability
to make comedy fun. AAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!